1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a dump trailer gate. More particularly, the present invention relates to a dump trailer gate that opens downwardly when a bucket loader applies pressure to an arm connected to the gate.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Numerous innovations for a dump trailer gate for trucks have been provided in the prior art described below. Even though these innovations may be suitable for the specific individual purposes to which they address, the prior art innovations differ from the present invention as hereinafter contrasted.
In U.S. Pat. No. 5,823,630, invented by Graham, titled, Pivot lip dump gate, a pivot lip dump gate for the dump body of a dump truck, trailer or the like comprises a split gate including a large upper hinged gate portion and a hinged lower gate or lip which serves the double function of guiding contents rearwardly from the dump body in its lowered dumping position and for closing the rearward end of the dump body in its raised transport position while also serving to lock the swinging upper gate in its closed transport position.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,989,918, invented by Biddy, titled, Material handling vehicle with improved tailgate, a material handling vehicle is disclosed which includes a substantially rectangular material container with an open rear end. The container is pivotably mounted to the vehicle frame so that the front end of the container can be lifted to cause material in the container to be discharged through the open rear end. A tailgate is mounted to the open rear end of the container and can be selectively moved between a closed position where the tailgate overlies and closes the open rear end of the container, a partially raised position to permit metering of a material there through, and a fully raised position where the tailgate is free to swing outwardly about a pivotal axis. A pair of hydraulically actuated lifting members selectively move the tailgate between the three positions.
In U.S. Pat. No. 6,499,808, invented by Palmberg, Jr., titled, Dump vehicle with a positively controlled opening gate, a dump vehicle with a positively controlled opening gate is disclosed. The vehicle includes a frame, a dump bed mounted on the frame and having a floor, front and side walls and a rear opening through which material can be discharged from the bed, and a gate having a pair of lateral edges and a lower edge. The gate is pivotally mounted adjacent the rear opening and has a closed position in which the gate blocks the rear opening to prevent discharge from the bed through the rear opening. The vehicle further includes a gate control mechanism connected to the gate. The gate control mechanism is adapted to selectively raise the gate from the closed position to allow metered discharge of material or to release the gate from the closed position so that the gate may pivot away from the rear opening to allow unmetered discharge of material.
In U.S. Pat. No. 6,386,818, invented by Reed, titled, Live bottom trailer effectively having extendible rear end via outward pivoting doors, a live bottom trailer or vehicle having horizontally outwardly pivoting doors as the tailgate is disclosed. The live bottom trailer includes a hopper having an opening top with sidewalls converging towards an endless conveyor. The endless conveyor is operable to mobilize material in the hopper rearwardly toward the rear discharge area of the trailer. A pair of doors are hinged to the hopper sidewalls and pivot outwardly away from each other. The doors can be positioned in a rearward projecting manner such that they direct material more deeply into an asphalt paver. The doors are independently controlled by pneumatic or hydraulic cylinders to allow the material to be directed left or right. The mechanical linkage which connects the cylinders to the doors has an over center position such that the doors stay locked even if pressure in the cylinders is lost when material in the hopper is exerting rearward force on the doors of the hopper.
In U.S. Pat. No. 6,217,123, invented by Palmberg, Jr., titled, Dump vehicle with a positively controlled opening gate, a dump vehicle with a positively controlled opening gate is disclosed. The vehicle includes a frame, a dump bed mounted on the frame and having a floor, front and side walls and a rear opening through which material can be discharged from the bed, and a gate having a pair of lateral edges and a lower edge. The gate is pivotally mounted adjacent the rear opening and has a closed position in which the gate blocks the rear opening to prevent discharge from the bed through the rear opening. The vehicle further includes a gate control mechanism connected to the gate. The gate control mechanism is adapted to selectively raise the gate from the closed position to allow metered discharge of material or to release the gate from the closed position so that the gate may pivot away from the rear opening to allow unmetered discharge of material.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,189,976, invented by Lawson, titled, Spreader pan for a gravity discharge trailer box discloses a laterally extending spreader pan having a short longitudinal dimension of about six inches, pivotally mounted on a lateral shaft secured to a trailer or truck box adjacent to the rear edge of the box floor. The spreader pan is pivotal between an operating position where the pan is substantially co-planar with the floor of the truck or trailer box and a non-operating position where the spreader pan is pivoted downward to a position that is substantially normal to the box floor and which does not extend beyond the rear edge of the truck or trailer box. An operating lever is provided on the lateral shaft with the free end of the lever connected to the plunger of a pneumatic cylinder controlled from the cab of the truck. When the plunger is extended the shaft and spreader pan is rotated or pivoted upwardly into its operating position, co-planar with the floor of the box. When the plunger is retracted the shaft and spreader pan is rotated downwardly into its out of the way, non-operating position.
In U.S. Pat. No. 5,890,770, invented by Palmberg, Jr., titled, Dump vehicle with a positively controlled opening gate, a dump vehicle with a positively controlled opening gate is disclosed. The vehicle includes a frame, a dump bed mounted on the frame and having a floor, front and side walls and a rear opening through which material can be discharged from the bed, and a gate having a pair of lateral edges and a lower edge. The gate is pivotally mounted adjacent the rear opening and has a closed position in which the gate blocks the rear opening to prevent discharge from the bed through the rear opening. The vehicle further includes a gate control mechanism connected to the gate. The gate control mechanism is adapted to selectively raise the gate from the closed position to allow metered discharge of material or to release the gate from the closed position so that the gate may pivot away from the rear opening to allow unmetered discharge of material.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,855,466, invented by Faulkner, et al., titled, Vehicle discharge system discloses a vehicle discharge system for a vehicle. The vehicle discharge system is provided with a rearwardly tippable bed that includes a tailgate constituted by a housing mounted at the rear of the bed adjacent to the tailgate, a discharge auger rotatably supported within the housing and arranged to receive material which passes the tailgate when the bed is tipped, an auger drive to drive the auger and discharge material carried within the vehicle bed to the side of the vehicle as the bed is tipped, and a flow control structure capable of differentially exposing material held within the vehicle bed to the discharge auger. The flow control structure is constituted by a flow control gate which is capable of being moved in a plane substantially perpendicular to the plane of the base of the vehicle bed and tilted to form a tapered and adjustable opening which exposes material within the vehicle bed to the auger as the bed is tipped. The nature of an auger is to preferentially pick up material from one end remote from that at which material is discharged and so the flow control gate is tilted to expose less of the auger to the material at that end. The combination of varying the opening height and degree of tilt of the flow control gate ensures that material is discharged evenly and controllably across the width of the vehicle bed.
In U.S. Pat. No. 5,407,251, invented by, Ritchie, II, et al., titled, Dump truck tailgate, a tailgate assembly is disclosed for use with a dump truck. The tailgate assembly includes a bed, two side walls and a bed opening, and also has an obstruction, such as a tag wheel assembly, spaced relatively closely to the bed opening. The assembly comprises a tailgate pivotally connected to hydraulically operated arms for moving the tailgate between open and closed positions. Guides restrict the tailgate to a first substantially rectilinear path of travel and lost-motion connections prevent relative pivoting of the tailgate with respect to the arms to cause outward swinging of the tailgate with respect to the truck bed during a second path of movement to prevent interference between the tailgate and the obstruction during sequential opening of the bed and the raising of the bed to its dumping position.
In U.S. Pat. No. 5,288,137, invented by, Henry, entitled, End gate, an end gate is provided for a truck box which may be selectively automatically and pivotally moved to an open position as the truck box is pivotally moved to its dumping position. A cable interconnecting the end gate and dump box is threaded through a series of pulleys to cause the end gate to pivot outwardly in response to upwardly movement of the dump box.
The aforementioned patents differ from the present invention because they lack one or more features described and claimed in the present invention: a bottom hinged gate attached to a first lever extending downwardly on one side and a second lever on the opposite side. The second lever is connected to a biasing means functioning to return the gate into a closed position.
Numerous innovations for a dump trailer gate for trucks have been provided in the prior art that are adapted to be used. Even though these innovations may be suitable for the specific individual purposes to which they address, they would not be suitable for the purposes of the present invention as heretofore described.